There are quite a few older, popular games porting over to the Nintendo Switch as of late. One of those is a 2D adventure, originally released for the PC in 2011, called To the Moon. And it features a highly lauded, creatively interactive story. Add in an E-rating and an old-school, 16-bit, bird’s-eye-view presentation, and To the Moon could merit some parental interest for play in the family room.
That said, there are a few things here that Mom and Dad might want to know about first.
The game’s creator, Kan Gao, said his inspiration for this title came after the illness of his grandfather, which prompted some of his own thoughts about possible regrets in life. Gao was pondering the paradox that even a well-lived, happy life can still be affected by pain and regret. And that’s the kind of reflective subject matter this game addresses with wit, charm and tears.
The story kicks off with tech specialists Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts making their way to a client’s house. They’re employees of Sigmund Corp., a futuristic tech company that specializes in wish fulfillment for dying customers. They use a virtual reality setup to tap into someone’s memories and create a synthetic-but-satisfying conclusion for the soon to be dearly departed. In this case, Rosalene and Watts are making their way through the past of a nearly comatose, dying man named Johnny, with the goal of somehow planting a fake memory and fulfilling his wish to … go to the moon.
Why does an old man want to venture to a dead orb out in space? How does it relate to anything else in his life? And how will the man’s brain accept the implanted idea he’s already taken that journey? Well, that’s what you and two memory-digging scientists must work out, clue by clue, memory by memory.
If that sounds like a death’s door version of the movie Inception, well, there is a similar vibe here. Only in this case, the ongoing banter and bickering between the two docs keeps the mood light as they dig into, and walk through, scenes from this man’s life. Ultimately, the game and its intensely personal story becomes a heartfelt exploration of one man’s love and loss, his successes and mistakes. It’s a tug-and-pull journey between romanticism and realism.
That’s some pretty heady stuff for an E-rated game that seems as if it’s aimed at younger gamers. The truth is, though, this game isn’t necessarily all that kid friendly. There’s no coarse language, but we do see a number of printed-out jibes traded by Rosalene and Watts that include uses of “moron” and “crap,” as well as mildly rude declarations such as “fricken” and “p-ss off.” In fact, these characters’ interactions, in general, feel like the kind of conversations adults would have.
Also worth noting: A child’s accidental death is part of the tale here as well. One scene involves someone struggling with a disorder that’s similar to autism who makes a disquieting choice that can almost seem akin to suicide.
Clue-gathering and light puzzle-solving function as transitional devices in the gaming mix. But for the most part, To the Moon is aimed at people who want to experience an identifiable and bittersweet story. It’s for people who want to think through issues such as mental illness and enduring commitment, marital joys and life tragedies.
Truthfully, this is a beautifully executed interactive experience with a sweet musical score and a thoughtful, heart-wrenching conclusion. And it’s probably unlike almost any other game you’ve ever played. But as far as wish fulfillment is concerned, this E-rated game’s adult-oriented storyline may not be a good fit for younger players who are more interested in having fun than pondering life’s existential conundrums.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
Our weekly newsletter will keep you in the loop on the biggest things happening in entertainment and technology. Sign up today, and we’ll send you a chapter from the new Plugged In book, Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family, that focuses on how to implement a “screentime reset” in your family!